Which house is better

Okay so I am stuck between volunteering at a "real" fire house or a volunteer house. I plan to make a career out of firefighting when I get out of the military and I am wondering which house would be best. I apologizes if this topic has been discussed, I looked and had trouble finding information

There are too many variables to really answer this question. Depending on the part of the country and local policies, the situation could be very different. A lot of the answer will depend on call volume, training opportunities, the relationship between paid and volunteers and what the volunteers are allowed to do in the paid house.

A volunteer department with a high call volume might be better for you than a paid/combo department that relagates the volunteers to support roles. On the other hand, the combo department with a high call volume may be better than a volunteer station that runs very few calls.

Okay so I am stuck between volunteering at a "real" fire house or a volunteer house.

If the volunteer house is not 'real', what is it? Imaginary? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I'd perhaps start by not demeaning the volunteer firehouse by implying it's not 'real'.

As to the question at hand there are a lot of factors you should consider that aren't mentioned in your original post. For example:
What would you be doing at either firehouse? If one is an all-career department, can you even volunteer? If so, is it as a firefighter? How well is either department organized and run. Is the volunteer station more of a social club or does it maintain well-trained firefighters?

Bottom line: It may take you a while to get a career firefighting job. Look into the details about each department and pick the one that will get you the most training and experience and one you can run with while you search for a job. It may take a few years.

There are volunteer departments whose only clue to being volunteer is the sign out front - both in their demeanor and their run volume (in the thousands per year).

There are career departments that might get out the door twice or three times a day, on a busy day.

There are thousands of volunteer departments like mine - around 100 calls a year, counting the EMS first response stuff.

Last time I checked, though, a two and one half story frame residential structure burned the same here as it does in Brooklyn.

If you're looking for run volume, don't come run with my department - we just don't have that kind of volume. But there are departments that will keep you busy, and combo departments may even have an internal career progression from volunteer to paid.

Depending on the level of commitment each asks and the run volume is there any reason you can't volunteer at the "Combination" department and the volunteer department.

one hint for you. Don't use the term real in comparison to volunteer around the volunteer house. Spend some time around them and if it's a good volunteer house you'll realize that Volunteers are Real firefighters.

Okay so I am stuck between volunteering at a "real" fire house or a volunteer house. I plan to make a career out of firefighting when I get out of the military and I am wondering which house would be best. I apologizes if this topic has been discussed, I looked and had trouble finding information

I'm pretty sure you just insulted every call/volunteer firefighter. You should check your wording before posting here. If vollie fire depts aren't real than why do they make up over 70 Percent yeah thats right, over 70 percent! of Fire departments in the USA. I guess all the lives and property saved in those 70 Percent communities by volunteers were just playing fireman.

Amazing how many people got all butt-hurt about somebody (apparently) completely new to the fire service using the wrong terminology. I wonder how many people act the same to the citizens in their community. Like RFD21C said, cut the guy some slack.

If your looking for a career then yeah jump on the paid fire dept that wants you BUT i will say if your looking to volunteer untill you find a paying job try to find a ALL VOLUNTEER dept you will move up FAST you'll be driving the engines before you know it and you'll get your feet wet REAL QUICK!!! I Love my volly department....... Remember this career started with vollies so i take so much pride in not getting paid like the old days...

A paid department with volunteers you wont get to drive i dont believe and you know the paid guys are going to want to have the fun....

ALL IN ALL..... THIS IS THE BEST CAREER IN THE WORLD.... COME GETCHU SSOOMMMEEEE.. HAHA

Okay so I am stuck between volunteering at a "real" fire house or a volunteer house. I plan to make a career out of firefighting when I get out of the military and I am wondering which house would be best. I apologizes if this topic has been discussed, I looked and had trouble finding information

Are you talking about just observing or actually participating?

You do realize at a all-career house as it's highly unlikely you will get to participate as you would not be a member and not trained, and hence, not covered under insurance? Obviously it would be the same situation at a volunteer house if again, you were just observing, but at a volunteer house you would have the option to join the department and participate as a member.

I guess I am somewhat confused at to your intentions. Do you just want to observe or actually participate?

And by the way, a volunteer house is just as real as an all-career house.

Okay so I am stuck between volunteering at a "real" fire house or a volunteer house. I plan to make a career out of firefighting when I get out of the military and I am wondering which house would be best. I apologizes if this topic has been discussed, I looked and had trouble finding information

Alright, sorry it took so long to respond. I am US Miltary on my last deployment. I want to send out a applogy to all the men and women who volunteer their time and sweat to being a volunteer firefighter. I didnt mean any harm when I said "real", I wasn't saying that a volunteer is no less a firefighter than a full time paid firefighter. I just did know how to word my statment. I am currently getting ready to go home to prepare for a career as a firefighter. I went to a few firehouse meetings as a volunteer but as all my stuff was getting processed I got 3 days notice to deploy. But I have the up most respect for all those men and women, career or volunteer.

If the volunteer house is not 'real', what is it? Imaginary? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I'd perhaps start by not demeaning the volunteer firehouse by implying it's not 'real'. How well is either department organized and run. Is the volunteer station more of a social club or does it maintain well-trained firefighters?Bottom line: It may take you a while to get a career firefighting job. Look into the details about each department and pick the one that will get you the most training and experience and one you can run with while you search for a job. It may take a few years.

Sound advice and I agree with your comment.

[QUOTE=EGregory;1281984]one hint for you. Don't use the term real in comparison to volunteer around the volunteer house. Spend some time around them and if it's a good volunteer house you'll realize that Volunteers are Real firefighters.[/QUOTE]

I feel that as a volunteer, we need to be more professional, we do not have the threat of losing our jobs if we do not train, we train like the pro's because we can be killed just as fast in a fire. We want to go home to our families afterwards just like the career brothers/sisters do. Fire is an equal opportunity killer, it doesnt care if you get paid to kill it or not, it will fry anyone exactly the same.

Originally Posted by tougeS2K

Alright, sorry it took so long to respond. I am US Miltary on my last deployment. I want to send out a applogy to all the men and women who volunteer their time and sweat to being a volunteer firefighter. I didnt mean any harm when I said "real", I wasn't saying that a volunteer is no less a firefighter than a full time paid firefighter. I just did know how to word my statment. I am currently getting ready to go home to prepare for a career as a firefighter. I went to a few firehouse meetings as a volunteer but as all my stuff was getting processed I got 3 days notice to deploy. But I have the up most respect for all those men and women, career or volunteer.

Ok, I was hoping to see an apology from you and I, as a volunteer accept your apology. Im sure you will find that the department you join will be just as professional as a career department, just because it says "Volunteer" on the sign out front doesnt mean we dont act the same as our career family. I have had the honor of fighting a fire side by side with some career firefighters in my area and I learned from them. I have taken college courses taught by career fire officers and they were great people willing to teach those of us wanting to abandon the terms "Volly" and "Paid" and just be firefighters. He taught me a lot about the fire service and I respect him because he respects everyone that honors the brotherhood and wears the badge with pride. We are all family and it shouldnt matter.
I wish you well in your search for a career as a firefighter, just remember; keep your eyes and ears open and learn from the senior firefighters and officers. Good luck to you.
Moose